I figured since We have been watching all of the Dirty Harry films with the one and the only Clint Eastwood (Sudden Impact) and I figured we’d finish off the series. Do not confuse today’s film The Dead Pool with that hilarious Marvel Comics movie because this one is based off a twisted game. The Dead Pool is a game where they write a list of celebrities that each person believes will die within the year an the person with the most deaths wins the game. It all becomes a little real though when a musician is found dead and his name is on the very list of a director (Liam Neeson). Harry Callahan (Eastwood) is put on the case as more and more celebrities start to turn up dead that are all linked to the director. The film also stars Patricia Clarkson (Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials) as Samantha Walker, Jim Carrey (The Number 23) as Johnny Squares, Evan C. Kim (V) as Al Quan, David Hunt (Jade) as Harlan Rook, Michael Goodwin (Stuck In Love) as Lt. Ackerman, Michael Currie (Sudden Impact) as Captain Donnelly, Anthony Charnota (The Rookie) as Lou Janero, Victoria Bastel (The Video Dead) as Suzanne Dayton, and the film was directed by Buddy Van Horn (Any Which Way You Can). Before we get into the review of the film, let’s check out some stats:
As far as the stats are concerned, it’s not the highest in the series, but it’s also not the lowest either. Harry Callahan has about 12 kills in the film and he still has no origin story and he shouldn’t this far deep. I didn’t know how to answer the love interest question because at first he doesn’t like her because she is a reporter, but he is eventually staying at her place in the film so that is why I wrote yes and no. His partner is wounded (first time not killed in the series) and she is taken hostage by the killer so I would say yes to that next question. The big boss is defeated and you’ll have to see how it’s done cause it’s really cool. Now as far as the series is concerned, I really liked this one because it embraced all of the 80’s in it’s glory, but it’s definitely not my favorite in the series. One thing that I have to comment on is tat I just can’t take Jim Carrey serious as a rock star in the film because everything he does is just cheesy. It’s almost like he is poking fun at the 1980’s while he pretends to be Axl Rose. You do get to see a cameo by at least Slash and Izzy Stradlin in the film during one scene in case you were wondering. It just seems unnatural when you are watching him during the scene. Liam Neeson I thought was great in the film playing an English low budget/b-movie horror director and Patricia Clarkson was amazing as well. I liked who they casted as Harry’s partner for sure because he was a nice balance for the tough as nails Callahan. The cinematography is cool and the story is pretty good as it would inspire our favorite Marvel Character’s origin. So, I am going to give the film an B+ for a final grade.
This year we’ve been exploring films that I have never seen for a challenge that I have been doing for another blog. So, we’ve been exploring the Dirty Harry collection which stars the legendary Clint Eastwood (The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly) as Harry Callahan. For this week’s Ass Whoopin Wednesday film, we are checking out the fourth film in the series in Sudden Impact. Jennifer Spencer (Sandra Locke) and her sister were brutally raped by some men years ago, but the men never went to jail for it. Now years later, she is on the hunt for revenge which in turn grabs the attention of Harry Callahan (Eastwood). When things begin to heat up, he is forced on a “vacation” to Sao Paulo, California where he investigates the case in the small town that is linked to the crime in San Francisco. The film also stars Pat Hingle (Batman Forever) as Chief Jannings, Bradford Dillman (Escape From The Planet of the Apes) as Captain Briggs, Paul Drake (Beverly Hills Cop) as Mick, Audrie Neenan (Doubt) as Ray Parkins, Jack Thibeau (Escape From Alcatraz) as Kruger, Albert Popwell (The Enforcer) as Horace King, Wendell Wellman (Sommersby) as Tyrone, and the film was directed by Clint Eastwood. Before we get into the review of the film, let’s check out some stats:
So in our third Dirty Harry film, how did Harry Callahan do as far as the stats are concerned? As far as knockouts/kills, he has about 21 of them while there is still no origin story. I put down that he had no love interest because as far as the film went, it seemed that he didn’t have any and as far as we can see it was a one night stand (so that answers the sexual conquest question). I kind of dropped the ball on the hurt question because his good friend or partner is killed when he comes to visit and his new pet Bulldog is hurt as well and the big boss definitely gets what’s coming to him. I was surprised at first to see that Clint had directed the film, but then again why wouldn’t he t this point. This wasn’t his foray into directing anyways so it only seems natural at this point in the series. Callahan is still taking people out one by one and thee San Francisco PD an District Attorney still hates him for it. The film has plenty of action scenes to please any Dirty Harry fan, but it some of the shots of the film I love like the sequence when Harry comes back to save the day. I loved the look of that sequence which is why I chose it for my stats above. On a side note, I noticed that Albert Popwell has now played three different characters (A pimp, social activist, and a cop) in the series. I just thought that was a cool tidbit. I definitely enjoyed this one better than The Enforcer, but the first two are still gold. With that being said, I am going to go ahead and give this film four fists out of five for a final grade.
A couple of weeks ago, we started watching the Dirty Harry franchise for Ass Whoopin Wednesdays when we watched Magnum Force. Since HBOGO has most of the series, I figured why not watch the next film in the series entitled The Enforcer. This time around, our favorite hard ass cop Harry Callahan (Clint Eastwood) has to investigate a group of disgruntled Vietnam vets who are calling themselves The People’s Revolutionary Strike Force, but there are a couple of obstacles in his way. The police force is coming down hard on Harry for the way he does his job and they have given him a new partner in a female police officer which he is not all that happy to be working with. Together, they’ll have to unfoil the groups plans and save the mayor of San Francisco. The film also stars Tyne Daly (Cagney & Lacey) as Kate Moore, Harry Guardino (Any Which Way You Can) as Lt. Bressler, Bradford Dillman (Escape From The Planet Of The Apes) as Captain McKay, John Mitchum (The Outlaw Josey Wales) as DiGeorgio, DeVeren Bookwalter (The Omega Man) as Bobby Maxwell, John Crawford (The Towering Inferno) as Mayor, Samantha Doane (The Gauntlet) as Wanda, Albert Popwell (Sudden Impact) as Mustapha, Jocelyn Jones (Tourist Trap) as Miki, and the film was directed by James Fargo (Forced Vengeance). Before we get into the review of the film, let’s check out some stats:
As far as stats are concerned, these films are pretty straightforward so this will be an easy one to interpret. Harry Callahan only has 10 kills in the film, but they are definitely important ones. He has no origin story and he definitely doesn’t have a love interest (he respects his partner, but he’s not into her). His first partner in this film gets killed and spoiler alert, his new partner gets killed. The big boss is definitely defeated in the film and you’ll have to see how it’s done for yourself. The only thing I have an argument with is that I wasn’t that convinced about the antagonists of this film like I was in previous films. I just felt like they were a bunch of jerks who decided to get together and call themselves a militant group. My other thing is that Mustapha has to grow a set of balls because he gives up information way too easily. Who hasn’t stolen something from a Holiday Inn? Apparently, that is enough to get you to corporate with a cop in this film. Other than that, I enjoyed the social commentary on where this country was in 1976 with Women’s rights on the rise, they made it a relevant factor for the film and Harry had to stop being a neanderthal. There was one kill scene that bothered me because the blood splatter was obviously not real blood because it was too orangey if you catch my drift. Other than that, the film was pretty good. Not as good as the previous two, but decent. I am going to give this one 3.4 fists out of five for a final grade.
Dirty Harry is a true American Icon of badasses in the world of cinema and sadly I have only seen the first film in the series. So, I figured what better place than here to see the next film in the series Magnum Force which sees Clint Eastwood (The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly) returns as police officer Harry Callahan.Some officers on the force dressed as a motorcycle cops are taking out all of the scumbags in the city of San Francisco vigilante style and that is upsetting the police force including Harry. After being off homicide for a while, Harry is put back on and is tasked with figuring out who they are before they take out any more undesirables. The film also stars Hal Holbrook (Men Of Honor) as Lt. Briggs, Mitchell Ryan (Electra Glide In Blue) as McCoy, David Soul (Starsky and Hutch) as Davis, Tim Matheson (The West Wing) as Sweet, Kip Niven (New Year’s Evil) as Astrachan, Robert Ulrich (Spenser: For Hire) as Grimes, Felton Perry (Dumb And Dumber) as Early Smith, Margaret Avery (Welcome Home, Roscoe Jenkins) as prostitute, Tony Giorgio (Foxy Brown) as Palancio, and the film was directed by Ted Post (Beneath The Planet Of The Apes). Before we check out the review, let’s check out some stats:
Spoiler Alert: There may be some details that are discussed in this paragraph so proceed with caution or turn away. What kind of damage did Dirty Harry do this time around, well lets check it out. First of all, he has about 13 kills/knockouts in the film with the last four or five coming with out his signature gun. He has no origin story and he has kind of has a love interest, but he’s a mack. So, you better believe with that being said that he has a sexual conquest (it’s assumed that he does). A good friend of his who is a cop is taken out in the beginning so that is a yes for that question. His partner gets blown away, but he doesn’t know that. The big boss is defeated in the film, but you’ll have to see for yourself who it is and how it’s done. I loved watching this film because it has that sense where you are trying to figure out who the renegade cop(s) is in the film along with Harry. The big reveal in the end or the brains behind the operation I feel like I should have seen coming, but I didn’t. Most of the film at one point had this feel that a new world order should be started because they feel society needs it kind of thing. One of my favorite scenes in the film is actually one of Harry’s kills which involves him hitting a motorcycle head on with his car. You have to see it for yourself, it’s bad ass. I am going to give the film four fists out of five for a final grade. Check it out on HBOGO for yourselves.
Tonight is the 87TH Academy Awards and it wouldn’t be the Academy Awards without some snubs and other controversies thrown in the mix. American Sniper is up for best picture, but Clint Eastwood did not get a nod for best director. Furthermore, The Lego Movie has a song that is up for best original song for Everything Is Awesome, best the film is not up for Best Animated Film. Overall, Birdman and The Grand Budapest Hotel received the most nominations with nine while The Imitation Game received eight. It’ll definitely be interesting to see if there are any controversial picks or actors you believe are going to win that continued to get snubbed like Leonardo DiCaprio. Below I am going to list the categories that I feel are the more important ones of the night and the only ones I will be predicting. The film that I believe will win will be highlighted in 
Moshpits And Movies 